Ricardo Syntel Brown is a high-performing Social Studies teacher who has taught in both sectors of public education, a traditional school district and a public charter school. As an educator, his efforts are promoting equity, improving educational outcomes through advocacy, and providing scholars with life skills outside of the classroom. Ricardo is the principal owner of HB Standards, LLC, which is an educational and political consultancy firm located in Griffin, Georgia. He continues to be an avid public servant throughout the Griffin-Spalding community and across the state of Georgia. In 2018, Ricardo was elected to Griffin-Spalding Board of Education, representing District 1. Ricardo is a member of Shaw Temple African Methodist Episcopal Church and serves the church (denomination) locally and connectionally.
Dr. Patricia Ratcliffe has more than forty years of experience as an educator in and out of the United States. Retiring in January 2019, her teaching practices extend over areas of pre-kindergarten through university levels. She presently serves on the governing board of Susie King Taylor Community School in Savannah, Georgia as secretary and a member of the evaluation task group. Her educational roles involved daily responsibilities that directly supported the professional growth and development of teachers, and the linkage between the process of education and student achievement. As a principal, school management tasks consisted of fiduciary responsibilities resulting in increased funding, additional appropriations for new programs, and student enrollment. In varying capacities as a mentor, teacher and administrator, her school-based knowledge is formed by the achievement of four performance-based degrees and certificate; Bachelor’s in Art Education, M. S. in Guidance Counseling, Ed. E. in Educational Leadership, M. S. in Special Education with an endorsement certificate as Transition Specialist. The scope of her involvement as a community volunteering includes Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA), International Toastmasters (President), Girl Scouts, Hope House volunteer, member of Telfair’s Friends of African-American Art, and Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), Parent Teachers Associations (PTA), HOA By-laws Chairperson and various U.S. Air Force military wives clubs.
